December 2007

Today I had my monthly Jesu Caritas group, a group of 5 priests who gather to pray together, share on our ministry experiences, and offer mutual support.

I had a meeting of the steering committee of the diocesan healing ministry, and I informed them that I was going to be taking a “sabbatical” from being their diocesan liaison (and de facto chaplain). From the looks on their faces, they weren’t too happy.

I had my 20-year high school reunion three months ago (which was a total blast) and it gave me a chance to catch up with people I had not seen for…um…20 years! Of course, you know how these things go: you look at each other, chat, and then say “Let’s call each other and get together!” The challenge afterwards is to actually call each other and get together…

This evening a group of young priests of Montreal visited the Ignace Bourget home, where some of our elderly priests live (and can, if necessary, receive medical care). A group of close to 20 of us gathered in a meeting room downstairs, to share on our lived experience and our hopes for the future.

This evening was yet another Christmas party with the Cardinal, only this one was with the English sector. At this one, at least, I am not a stranger! It was good to be among “my people”.

I love Christmas. But I hate office Christmas parties. I always have. And yet, in the role I have now I have SIX of them to attend. I’ll probably duck out of a couple, but tonight’s Laval party was my first for this season.

This evening was a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism (of which I am the Treasurer). I made a presentation at the meeting, discussing the current state of our Membership Register and how it can be renewed. My plan was accepted 100%, unanimously! So I must confess, I am very pleased with myself. I had worked hard on it, sifting through 30 years of meeting minutes to try and get a solid grip on where we were with membership issues.

For reasons of confidentiality I obviously cannot go into any details, but within my work in the personnel office I recently came across a case of a brother priest who some years ago was falsely accused of having an affair with a woman. I do not use the word “falsely” with any reservation: she was known to be psychologically unbalanced, and she had mentioned to some people beforehand that she was going to make stuff up against this priest to get at him for her own bizarre reasons.

I’ve been seeing an osteopath recently, due to recurring pains in my left shoulder. I’ve got to say, the guy has been amazing. He was able to identify certain other injuries and pains that I’ve felt just by looking at my posture and doing a couple of minor tests.

I’ve had quite a day today. I’ve written in the past about a sick priest I visited, and today was the day of his flight back home to the Congo. It turns out his condition is terminal, and he wants to go home to die surrounded by family and friends. Easier said than done, though!